This article is enacted pursuant to the authority delegated to the municipal
officers by 30-A M.R.S.A. § 3009. In order to protect persons who
operate motor vehicles within the municipal boundaries of the Town of Wells,
to ensure that the streets and public ways of the Town remain open and free
of hazard to the public and to further effectuate the efficient enforcement
of the Town's traffic, parking, snow removal and other ordinances, it is necessary
to authorize the towing of vehicles and to regulate persons engaged in the
business of providing vehicle wrecker or towing and required repair services,
to establish maximum rates for such service and to regulate the storage and
disposition of vehicles so towed.

A person engaged in the business of, or offering the service of,
a vehicle wrecker or towing service, whereby motor vehicles are or may be
towed or otherwise removed from one place to another by the use of a motor
vehicle adapted to and designed for that purpose.

All wreckers operating within the Town of Wells shall comply with this
article and the regulations denominated the "Vehicle Towing Policy," as the
same shall be established and from time to time amended by the Chief of Police,
provided that the Board of Selectmen shall review and approve the policy and
all amendments thereto.[1]

The following vehicles may be removed, towed, stored and disposed of
pursuant to the provisions of this article until all waiver fees established
pursuant to 30-A M.R.S.A. § 3009 for all such outstanding notices
of violation, if applicable, and also the charges authorized by this article
have been paid or until the requirements of this article have been met:

Any vehicle which has accumulated three or more notices
of violation of any Town parking regulation for which there has been neither
payment of waiver fees nor issuance of court process and which is parked in
violation of any such provision; or

Any vehicle which is parked or left standing between
the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. in a Town parking lot or a parking lot
managed by the Town in which overnight parking is not allowed when a police
officer determines that the vehicle is obstructing the operation of street
sweeping or other maintenance equipment in the parking lot.

Any vehicle which has been immobilized as a result of an accident or
which, in the opinion of the police officer at the scene, cannot be safely
driven from the scene shall be removed in accordance with the Vehicle Towing
Policy, except that the wrecker may submit additional reasonable towing charges
for any extra expenses resulting from the accident; provided, however, that
any such additional charge shall be subject to approval, modification or disapproval
by the Chief of Police or his designee.

Any vehicle operated by a person who has been arrested for a moving
violation, the nature of which prevents the person so arrested from continuing
to lawfully operate the vehicle, shall be removed in accordance with the Vehicle
Towing Policy.

Any police officer requesting removal of a vehicle under this article shall, at the time of such removal, or within a reasonable time thereafter if the police officer determines that a delay is justifiable, notify the dispatcher of the intended storage location of the subject motor vehicle. Such information shall be recorded by the dispatcher for use of the Chief of Police. The Chief of Police shall notify by certified mail, return receipt requested, the owner of such vehicle within five business days of the impoundment thereof, the storage location of such vehicle and the requirement of release as set forth in § 207-8. This section shall not apply where an impounded vehicle has been released within the five-day period.

Any wrecker shall, within 15 days of the towing and storage
of a vehicle pursuant to the provisions of this article, notify by registered
mail the registered owner of such vehicle or a holder of a security interest
therein, if his or her identity can be readily ascertained, that the vehicle
has been taken into custody.

If the wrecker has not been able to ascertain the identity
of such owner or holder of the security interest therein, he or she shall
cause the notice to be published once a week for two consecutive weeks in
a newspaper of general circulation in the Town. A copy of such notice shall
also be mailed to the Chief of the state police. The notice shall be tendered
on forms prescribed and provided by the Chief of Police and shall:

Note the right to reclaim such vehicle within 60 days
after the date of the mailing of the notice or of the final published notice
by paying all towing and storage charges and properly following the procedure
for doing so; and

The Chief of Police or his designee certifies that all
waiver fees and all charges described in this article have been paid, including
all costs for towing, required notices and storage of the vehicle; or

Upon certification by the Chief of Police or his designee
that the individual requesting release of such a vehicle has demonstrated,
by providing satisfactory proof of such status, that he or she is unable to
pay any accumulated waiver fees by reason of poverty; provided, however, that
such person shall have accepted service of process initiating the court proceeding
to determine his or her liability for the prescribed penalty for the alleged
violation of this article and that such person has paid all charges for towing
and storage.

Release of any towed vehicle or any accessory or part
thereof from the lot or storage area of the wrecker without written permission
from the Chief of Police, if not otherwise punishable under state law, shall
be considered a civil violation. This shall apply to any person not the wrecker
or owner of the storage area, including the owner of such vehicles.

Whenever any person requests the right to post bond pursuant to § 207-9, such bond shall be given in cash and a receipt shall be given therefor. Such bond money shall be refunded in the amount of the waiver fee for each alleged violation of this article upon acceptance by such person of service of process initiating a court proceeding to determine his or her liability for the prescribed penalty for the alleged violation of this article. Any bond shall be forfeited unless the person posting it requests and accepts service of such process from the Chief of Police within 30 days of posting unless prevented from so doing by the actions or inaction of the Town.

Whenever any person obtains a determination from a court of competent jurisdiction that a vehicle was not parked in violation of this article or any other ordinance of the Town at the time it was impounded pursuant to § 207-4, such person shall be reimbursed for the charges for immobilization or for towing and storage pursuant to this article, if paid, and if such charges have not been paid they shall be promptly paid or canceled by the Town.

This Vehicle Towing Policy is established pursuant to § 207-3. The purpose of this policy is to ensure efficient enforcement of the Vehicle Towing Ordinance and other ordinances of the Town of Wells and to regulate the towing, storage and disposition of the vehicles which are towed, stored or disposed of pursuant to the Vehicle Towing Ordinance.

The applicant provides with the application a complete
list and description of all equipment and facilities, including vehicles,
dollies, storage capacity in the Town of Wells and any other information which
the Chief of Police may require.

The Chief of Police shall conduct an investigation into
the background of the applicant. If the applicant operated a wrecker service
in another jurisdiction the Chief shall contact the law enforcement agency
with authority in that jurisdiction and inquire into the background of the
applicant. The Chief shall consider any and all consumer complaints, civil
and criminal complaints and the driving record of the applicant. The Chief
may approve, deny or approve with reasonable conditions based upon the background
investigation. If the application is denied or conditions are imposed on the
applicant by the Chief of Police, he shall issue a written decision stating
the reasons for the denial. The wrecker operator may appeal the Chief's decision
to the Wells Board of Selectmen within 10 days of the denial.

Assignments shall be made in the order in which wreckers
appear on the towing list. After an assignment is made to a wrecker, that
wrecker shall be rotated to the end of the towing list and all other wreckers
on the towing list shall move forward one slot.

Any wrecker who refuses any assignment for any reason
other than that the assignment requires specialized equipment which the wrecker
does not have shall be considered to have accepted the assignment for purposes
of the towing list rotation.

Indemnifying and holding harmless the Town of Wells and
any of its police officers or employees from any claim or claims arising from
or related to any assignment made pursuant to this policy and the Vehicle
Towing Ordinance.[1]

Any wrecker who does not maintain insurance as required
by this section or who receives notice that his coverage has lapsed or no
longer conforms to this section shall be removed from the towing list immediately.

No wrecker shall respond to the scene of an accident or emergency for
the purpose of towing any vehicle involved therein without having received
an assignment pursuant to the Vehicle Towing Ordinance.[1]

All wreckers shall enter into an indemnification agreement with the
Town of Wells which shall hold the Town and its police officers and other
employees harmless from all claims for damages to property and injuries to
persons resulting from a wrecker's negligence in removing, towing, storing
or disposing of a vehicle.

If a request is received from a vehicle owner or operator at the scene
for a specific wrecker, that request shall be honored if practicable, and
the wrecker requested shall not lose his place on the towing list.

The Chief of Police shall maintain a record of complaints against wreckers.
Depending on the nature of the complaint, the Chief of Police may notify that
wrecker that, within 10 days, he is to appear before the Selectmen at a public
hearing in order to show cause as to why his name should not be removed from
the towing list.